The only thing that's 100 per cent predictable about Nurburgring lap times is that the manufacturers will be chasing them. In fact, it's so obvious that I'm going to have a punt at predicting the battles that will be sparking forum furore around the world in 2014.
Honda are clear on its 'ring intentions!
Perhaps the most blatant statement of intent about obliterating 'ring records in 2014 was issued
by Honda last year
. It's working on the turbocharged
VTEC Civic Type R
, and they even got a few development days in before the
end of the season
. What not so many people know are the rumours in Nurburg about another turbocharged hatchback that might well eat the Civic for lunch...
Renaultsport are no strangers to the 'ring, their Clios and Meganes have fantastic track records over the old 20.8km track for the last decade or so. The RS265 Trophy might not have been the most powerful FWD sportscar, but it was the fastest around a lap. And what if Renaultsport make a stripped out, near-300hp final edition? In the vein of the legendary R26.R? Then, Honda, you have a fight on your hands...
Z06 v TA is the battle of 600hp US coupes
It's the American Derby that will set the yankland forums on fire. For the true "fans", you can't like both Corvettes and Vipers. You can't like both GM and Chrysler. Oh no. It's like the Aussies with Holden and Ford.
You have to pick a side. V10 or V8? This time we're looking at two brands with lots of experience. Both sides of the fight have held the out-right mass-produced fastest car 'ring record at different times, and both have motorsports divisions competing at the highest level.
In the Chevy corner is the new supercharged Z06 Corvette a 625hp+ monster that looks set to terrorise the 'ring if the talented standard car is anything to go by. ()
And in the SRT corner is the Viper TA. TA meaning Time Attack. No confusion there, they built it especially to topple the old Corvette ZR-1 at Laguna Seca. And the logical progression (budgets allowing) will be the Nurburgring.
There has to be a lap time, right?
This was the irrelevant and over-hyped ménage a trois that dominated so many internet headlines last year. And believe me, the chances are it might just do it all again this year. God help us. Why?
Because while Porsche might have claimed first-blood with an awesome sub-seven lap, the reality is that the LaFerrari has tested here several times without any known lap time attempts. It's a massive unanswered question.
After McLaren spent several weeks testing the Harris-approved P1, they left us hanging by attempting to claim the moral high-ground with a loose claim of being faster than the 918, but no actual time or video.
We know what it has to beat...
So what should Ferrari do? Come here, spend tens of thousands of euros per week to go home with a 6-minute-something lap time, only to be bamboozled by McLaren releasing an even faster lap time?
Or maybe, just maybe, they will forget about Nurburgring lap times and just concentrate on making a car that's both technologically unbeatable and fun to drive. We can but hope...